"Ohh..." Isabella groaned as sleep disappeared from her system. Hugging the sheets against her some more, she realized Charles was not in the room with her. After grudgingly sitting up, she scanned the room she was in. And as her eyes fell on an artefact on the floor, she recalled how crazy they went the previous night.

After a quick meal in each other's arms, Charles had initiated a kiss which led to him exploring her insides with his long fingers. Then, she pleasured him before he dragged the session to the bed reluctantly where he took her as amazingly as the first time.


Smiling, Isabella wondered where Charles could have gone. She was actually missing his face. And... his touch. Isabella wore a even bigger smile as she recalled the words they shared the previous night when they reached peaks of pleasure.

Contrary to what she used to think, Isabella was starting to see how much of a lucky woman she was. She went from almost giving in to her sorry situation to hearing the man she loved telling and showing her how much he cared about.

Taking another look across the large room, she realized it was designed after an idea she had for his house just when they were about to get married then. The white walls had traces of splashed paint in different colours and it already made the room look like an artwork. The polished wooden floor wore a large carved flower in the center.


Her heart fluttered some more as her eyes caught a glimpse of a walk in closet from where she was seated. Charles really did everything she had planned. But when?

After calculating it, she realized it was most probably after she left him. Had he consoled himself that way? But it must have been very painful.


Realizing there was no way she could really guess what the man could have had running in his head, she soon concluded that was something she shouldn't bother about. Instead, she should be making up for everything she did.

Getting off the bed, the sheets around her naked body, she checked if Charles was in the bathroom. Seeing that he wasn't, she decided to freshen up and meet up with him.

Minutes later, she was in some comfortable sweatpants and a large sized blue top that made her pointed buds very visible.

"Charles?" she called into the quiet space as her bare legs walked her out of the room. After checking the room adjacent to it without seeing the man she was searching for, she made for the living room.

"Thank you Augustus." She could hear his deep voice say and it was followed by a beep from his phone. Walking past the spot where he had held her and told her he loved her sure made her feel happier.

Doing a good job of making no noise and approaching the unaware man, Isabella was soon leaning towards his shoulder to give him a hug but he was so swift, the leather wheeled chair twirled and she landed on his chest.

"Charles..." she let out a small groan as she tried to gather herself. "W-wait..." He had pulled her back into his chest and he made sure his eyes was all she could concentrate on.

"Hello Bella," he calmly yet huskily said and she could not help the smile that came into her lips. Everything about him just made her feel good. And to think that she was finally married to him...

Not bothering to fight his hold anymore, she said, "I was wondering where you were."

"Stand up for a second," he said making her scrunch her lips in wonder as she did as he asked. Soon, she was straddling him, her legs hugging the back of the small chair.

"Don't you think the chair would break?" Her neck craned to check the legs of the furniture as Charles began a slow dance on the wheeled chair.

"No it won't. And if it does..." His hand came up and swept a mass of her hair to the back. "You won't be affected. I will be holding you."

"But you'll be," she pressed further and he sighed, his eyes almost rolling.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" The topic got swiftly changed and Isabella threw him a silly look.

"What kind?"

His hands went to her behind and he firmly held her there. "What do mean by that? What other kind of-" His face suddenly lit with his look of realization and slight surprise. "You are just never satisfied, are you?"

Slowly, she slid over his shorts. "It has been so long Charles. Of course I won't be satisfied." A chuckle came from the man who instantly put a stop to her sensual moves. "Have you made something?"

"Yes. Pancakes."

As her hands went around his neck, their eyes still into each other's, she asked amusedly, "Are you ever going to learn how to make something else? You know, something that is not pancake?"

"Hmm..." He played with her hair. "No."

"Well..." She shrugged. "To be fair, you do make awesome pancakes."

"And that's more reason you should go eat them. What?" he asked as she looked to the side, her eyes wearing the emotion she just felt.

"It's just that I still can't believe we are finally together like this."

He smiled. "Same here." Isabella let out a small sigh and had her head resting on his shoulder. "We should talk about your company now." His voice turned so serious, you'd think it was really inappropriate of her to be in his arms like that.

"I guess we should," she replied, enjoying being in his hold that way.

"Since when have you had troubles with the finances?"

Isabella sat up immediately, her face instantly wearing a frown as she tried to find put one and one together in her head. After a minute filled with memories about bank visits, she finally said, "It was about two months after I got married to Gabriel."

Charles blinked. "Why do you ask?"

Huge hands started to run through her butt cheeks as he asked, "Did you check for any document that could have recorded the debt your father owed?"

"No."

"Wait..." His green eyes sharply pierced hers. "You didn't even know what your father was owing?" Isabella shook her head. "Why did you agree to marry Gabriel in exchange then?"

"I-"

"What amount could it have been that you allowed yourself to be bargained off that way?"

"I don't-"

"Bella..." The anger in his eyes got replaced with softness and he held the sides of her face gently. "Why did you let them use you that way? Uh? Why did you give in to them?"

"He was my father. I had to help him," she uttered with distress. Why was Charles bringing that topic up again? She thought he wanted the issue to really be a thing of the past.

"Your father?" Charles scoffed and she recognized the look on his face as the same one he had when he informed her of her father's death. "Your father is a fool."

"Charles!" Isabella jumped off him in anger. Yes, her father had his faults, but did he have to call him that kind of name?

Swiftly, he reached for her hands and said, "Listen to me carefully Isabella. Your father is not the person who owed a debt. He was used."

"What?" She frowned and turned fully to face the man who had now gotten up and was looking down at her with a gentle look.

"It is Ben Idoh that owed the debt your father mentioned."

"B-ben... Uncle Ben?" Her lips quivered as she spoke. Eyes feeling itchy already, Isabella started to feel light headed. "Charles..." He held her by the shoulder. " Are you sure?"

"Would I lie to you, love? I just found out myself. Ben used your father."

"What?"

"Your father had a secret he could use against him that's why your father wasn't able to fight the idea of you get married to Manifold's son."

"B-but-" She held onto his arms for support.

"Isabella? Look at me." She did as he said but almost absent mindedly. "I know this is hard to hear but there is more. You need to know about it."

"What?" What else could it be? Some grand secret her late mother used to have? Isabella sarcastically wondered within her tired mind.

"Your father Isabella... He didn't die of natural cause." Isabella's eyes widened. " He was drugged to death."

"Oh Lord!" she cried her legs almost giving away. But she still held on to Charles.

"And I think the person who killed him is Ben Idoh."